Viral hepatitis is one of major global health challenges with increasing disease burden worldwide. Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections are major causes of chronic liver diseases. They can lead to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and death in significant portion of affected people. Transmission of hepatitis B virus can be blocked by vaccination. Progression of hepatitis B virus-related liver diseases can be prevented by long-term viral suppression with effective drugs. Although vaccine for hepatitis C virus is currently unavailable, hepatitis C virus infection can be eradicated by oral direct antiviral agents...

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the alarmingly rising clinical problems in the 21st century with no effective drug treatment until now. Taurine is an essential amino acid in humans that proved efficacy as a non-pharmacological therapy in a plethora of diseases; however, its impact on NAFLD remains elusive. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the protective mechanism of taurine in experimental steatohepatitis induced by junk food given as cafeteria-diet (CAF-D) in male albino rats...

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant problem among hemodialysis population, especially in India where renal transplant often gets delayed in the presence of live-related donors. An acceleration of liver cirrhosis and poor renal allograft outcomes are often witnessed in allograft recipients with high viral load. Use of interferon in the postrenal transplant setting for the treatment of hepatitis C viral infection was limited to a few grave situations, fearing the precipitation of allograft rejection and poor efficacy for sustained virological remission...

This commentary seeks to examine the role, value and importance of peer-based programmatic approaches for ensuring the effective roll-out of the new hepatitis C (HCV) treatments among those most affected - that is, people who inject drugs (PWID). The authors examine recent approaches to HCV treatment in Australia including the provision of universal access to the new DAA regimens regardless of acquisition, genotype or severity of disease. These approaches are contextualised within wider global strategies to support HCV elimination as a public health threat by 2030 (WHO, 2016)...

The past five years have seen a revolution in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, as short duration oral regimens of direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs), with nearly 100% cure rates for all genotypes, have replaced longer courses of ribavirin and injected interferon. Although initially very expensive, these DAAs are now becoming available in generic equivalents in countries with large numbers of chronically infected people, such as India. However, a number of obstacles may hinder the delivery of these drugs in resource-limited settings, including lack of access to diagnostic testing and the restriction of treatment to a small number of medical specialists...

The treatment of hepatitis C virus in monoinfected and HIV-coinfected patients has greatly changed over recent years as a result of the introduction of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs), which have revolutionized clinical outcomes and led to sustained virological response rates above 90-95%. The discovery of new molecules and the subsequent competition between pharmaceutical companies, together with the negotiated price policies pursued by many national health systems, have led to a gradual reduction in the cost of DAAs, and expand their use to an increasing number of patients, including those with mild liver damage...

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, a major cause of end-stage liver disease, is a common comorbidity in patients on dialysis and causes increased morbidity and mortality. Historically HCV has been extremely difficult to cure with interferon and ribavirin-based therapies, which are also associated with significant side effects, and few dialysis patients ever received HCV treatment. However, in the last 4 years, interferon-free direct-acting antiviral therapies have been approved, and several combinations have been studied in dialysis patients...

BACKGROUND: Direct-acting antivirals have been used for decompensated cirrhotic patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, the benefits in Chinese patients with decompensated cirrhosis are unclear. METHODS: Thirty patients with HCV infection and decompensated cirrhosis were administered sofosbuvir-containing regimens at our hospital between April and December 2015. The efficacy and safety of the treatments was determined by sustained virological response at week 12 (SVR 12), change of liver function and adverse events...

BACKGROUND: Millions of people worldwide suffer from hepatitis C, which can lead to severe liver disease, liver cancer, and death. Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), e.g. sofosbuvir, are relatively new and expensive interventions for chronic hepatitis C, and preliminary results suggest that DAAs may eradicate hepatitis C virus (HCV) from the blood (sustained virological response). Sustained virological response (SVR) is used by investigators and regulatory agencies as a surrogate outcome for morbidity and mortality, based solely on observational evidence...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a common condition with endemic prevalence in some areas of the world. In Romania, the mean prevalence is about 3%. New treatments have become available on the market in recent years and new drugs are in the pipeline. A re-evaluation of HCV therapy was considered mandatory. The Romanian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology undertook this task for the practitioners of this country. METHODOLOGY: A group of recognized experts was created who screened the available literature and the major available guidelines...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Human genetics has provided new insights into the role of protein glycosylation in regulating lipoprotein metabolism. Here we review these new developments and discuss the biological insights they provide. RECENT FINDINGS: Case descriptions of patients with congenital defects in N-glycosylation (CDG-I) frequently describe a distinct hypocholesterolemia in these rare multisystem clinical syndromes. Two novel CDGs with disturbed Golgi homeostasis and trafficking defects result in mixed glycosylation disorders, hepatic steatosis and hypercholesterolemia...

BACKGROUND: Once daily regimens are preferred for HIV-1 treatment, to facilitate adherence and improve quality of life. We compared a new once daily formulation of raltegravir to the currently marketed twice daily formulation. METHODS: In this randomised, double-blind, parallel-group, phase 3, non-inferiority study, we enrolled participants aged 18 years or older with HIV-1 RNA of 1000 or more copies per mL and no previous antiretroviral treatment at 139 sites worldwide...

Use of direct-acting antivirals sometimes causes viral drug resistance, resulting in inefficiency in treated patients in real-world practice. Therefore, how to rapidly and accurately evaluate drug resistance is an urgent problem to be solved for rational use and development of antivirals in the future. Here, we aim to develop a new method by which we can evaluate easily but effectively whether a drug will still be efficient in the future treatment in infectious hepatitis C virus cell culture system. HCV-infected Huh7...

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health burden worldwide. Approximately, 170-200 million individuals are chronically infected worldwide and a quarter of these patients are at increased risk of developing liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and even liver failure. A complete eradication of the virus is one of the most important treatment goal for antiviral research. In 2011, the first-generation protease inhibitors boceprevir (BOC) telaprevir (TVR) have been approved by FDA as the direct-acting antiviral agents...

BACKGROUND: In Bangladesh, folk medicinal practitioners are called "Kaviraj" and are consulted for treatment of various ailments by a large part of the rural and urban population. There are some previous studies conducted in the Tangail district of Bangladesh about medicinal plants, but there is no relevant information about this aspect in some parts of this district. AIM: To conduct an ethno-pharmacological survey among the "Kaviraj" of two upazilas (regions) in Tangail district, namely Tangail Sadar Upazila and Nagarpur Upazila, to identify the trouble-free formulations of medicinal plants for various diseases used by the folk medicine practitioners on or after other forms of medical practices...

BACKGROUND: Substance use, particularly injection drug use, continues to fuel the HIV/HCV (hepatitis C virus) epidemics in San Juan, Puerto Rico (PR). AIM: This article examines individual and sociostructural factors that affect HIV/HCV risk among people who use drugs (PWUD) living with or at risk for HIV/HCV in San Juan, PR. Findings were used to inform a community-level intervention to enhance HIV care access and retention for this population. METHOD: A rapid ethnographic assessment in collaboration with a community-based organization was conducted...

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Treatment rates with interferon-based therapies for chronic hepatitis C have been low. Our aim was to perform a systematic review of available data to estimate the rates and barriers for antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis searching MEDLINE, SCOPUS through March 2016 and abstracts from recent major liver meetings for primary literature with available hepatitis C treatment rates...

Background/Aims: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a major comorbidity in patients with hemophilia. Methods: Patients (n=30) were enrolled between September 2015 and April 2016. Twenty-six patients were genotype 1 (1b, n=21; 1a, n=5) and four patients were genotype 2a/2b. Among 21 patients with genotype 1b, Y93H resistance-associated variants (RAVs) were detected in three patients (14.3%). We evaluated sustained virologic response (SVRs) at 12 weeks, as well as relapse and safety...

Prostate cancer is the most common solid tumor malignancy worldwide with an estimated 180,000 new cases of prostate cancer and 26,000 deaths in the USA in 2016. Although significant advances in the treatment of prostate cancer have recently been made, the treatment of metastatic disease remains a challenge. With visceral metastases marking more advanced tumor stages, liver involvement is associated with the worst prognosis. So far, no locoregional treatment regimens for the management of liver metastases of prostatic cancer exist...